The top box shows each cables unique reference number, when and by whom it originally was sent, and what its initial classification was.

The middle box contains the header information that is associated with the cable. It includes information about the receiver(s) as well as a general subject.

The bottom box presents the body of the cable. The opening can contain a more specific subject, references to other cables (browse by origin to find them) or additional comment. This is followed by the main contents of the cable: a summary, a collection of specific topics and a comment section.

To understand the justification used for the classification of each cable, please use this WikiSource article as reference.

Discussing cables
If you find meaningful or important information in a cable, please link directly to its unique reference number. Linking to a specific paragraph in the body of a cable is also possible by copying the appropriate link (to be found at theparagraph symbol).
Please mark messages for social networking services like Twitter with the hash tags #cablegate and a hash containing the reference ID e.g. #05TEGUCIGALPA1954.

This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 TEGUCIGALPA 001954
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
PASS TO DS/IP/WHA, DS/CR/CIL, DS/IP/ITA, DS/FO/HUFO
STATE FOR S/CT, INL/LP, WHA/PPC, WHA/CEN, CA/FPP, AND
CA/OCS/ACS/WHA
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ASECPGOVSNARPTERCPASKCRMKJUSHO
SUBJECT: A DISTURBING TREND OF U.S. CRIMINALS OBTAINING
HONDURAN PASSPORTS.
C O R R E C T E D C O P Y (Added Sensitive caption,
relabeled pghs 8, 10; change in pass line.)
¶1. (SBU) Summary: In the month of September RSO and the
Consular section's Anti-Fraud unit (AFU) have has tracked two
separate cases of U.S. felons/fugitives who have obtained a
valid Honduran passport under fraudulent means. RSO is also
aware of one other case where a Salvadoran gang member was
involved in the rape of a minor in Houston, Texas procured a
Honduran passport. RSO believes in these three cases alone
that as many as six Honduran passports were fraudulently
obtained. RSO has been working with Honduran Prosecutors and
investigators to determine how these dangerous individuals
obtained these documents. The Consul General has met with
representatives of the MFA and the Ministry of Government and
Justice to urge them to investigate the breakdowns in
procedures that permitted the issuance of these passports to
the U.S. felons. Honduran prosecutors are conducting their
own investigations into the leads provided by RSO. end summary
THE THREE AMIGOS
¶2. (SBU) In early September RSO Tegucigalpa was informed by
Diplomatic Security agents in Houston that AmCit Andy Burwig
was arrested entering Houston International Airport. Burwig
was arrested on an outstanding Felony Arrest Warrant from
Utah for multiple counts of forgery. While DHS agents
conducted a search after arrest they discovered that Burwig
had three Honduran passports in his possession. The Honduran
passports appeared to be valid books. RSO and Consular AFU
checks with Honduran authorities confirmed that the books
were genuine Honduran passport books but that the information
contained therein was fraudulent and that they had not been
issued through the Honduran passport system. The first
Honduran passport is listed in the name of Sergio Sanchez
Bonelli. Passport number B144837, in doing a comparison RSO
and DS Filed office in Houston, noticed the photo in this
passport appears to match the photo on Burwig's U.S. passport
application. Burwig has a valid U.S. passport, passport
number 057273898. The second Honduran passport found was in
the name of Hans Andres Schnidet Lopez, passport number
B068121. DS Field office and RSO in doing a comparison
observed that the photo in this passport appears to match the
photo of U.S. passport application of Terry Lund, U.S.
passport number 057825397. The third Honduran passport found
was in the name of Max Alberto Kreigmann Rodriguez passport
number B074458. In examining the Honduran passport photo, DS
field office and RSO found an apparent match between Lopez
and James Burns. US passport number 057706380. According to
DSS Houston agents, Burns may in fact be in Honduras at this
time. The Consul General has requested that the Honduran
Central bank, which stores and tracks these books, provide
information to shed light on the path these books followed
from their warehouse to the felon's hand.
¶3. (SBU) In further investigation, RSO has determined that a
disturbing trend in this case. All three individuals involved
in this passport scam have criminal records. Burwig is
currently in custody awaiting extradition back to Utah for
his outstanding forgery charges. He will be charged in
Federal court for 18 USC 1546 for possession of fraudulent
documents, once his legal problems in Utah are settled. In
conducting criminal record checks on all three subjects, RSO
has determined that Lund and Burns have extensive criminal
histories. Before his current legal troubles, Burwig had only
been arrested one other time and spent three days in a
Californian jail for disobeying a court order. In contrast
to Burwig, Terry Lund has a criminal history that spans over
25 years. Lund has been arrested for various criminal acts
ranging from fraud, theft, illegal possessions of a shotgun,
possession of controlled substance with the intent to sell to
issuing fraudulent checks. In March 1999 Lund pled guilty to
fraud in connection with bankruptcy and money laundering and
received 33 months in prison and 36 months of supervised
release.
¶4. (SBU) Another concern RSO has in relation to Lund, it
appears that he has not left the U.S. in the last couple of
years. DSS agents in Houston confirmed that he was in prison
and has been on State Parole in Utah for the last couple of
years, making it difficult for him to travel to Honduras to
obtain a Honduran passport. RSO believes that Andy Burwig
obtained this travel document for him. In the case of James
Burns, RSO has determined that he is a convicted felon whose
criminal history spans the last ten years. In February 1997,
Burns was convicted of wire and communication fraud and was
sentenced to one to 15 years in jail. RSO was informed by DSS
Houston agents that Burns has been in communication with them
via cell phone and e-mail. Burns has stated that he wants to
cooperate with authorities in this investigation. DSS Houston
agents has informed Burns that he can walk into the U.S.
Embassy in Tegucigalpa and make a statement to the RSO. At
this time Burns has failed to comply. Burns did state to DSS
Houston agents that he was lured to Honduras by Burwig and
another accomplice named Abdiel Rivera, who promised him a
job. Burns related to agents that he submitted his photo
believing that he was receiving a Honduran work permit.
Burns also told agents that Burwig and Rivera have a home in
an upper class section of Tegucigalpa and they engage in
criminal activity in this home to include sex with underage
Honduran females. RSO, in coordination with DSS Houston,
believe that Abdiel Rivera is a former doctor convicted in
1993 of narcotics distribution. He was sentenced to 78 months
to federal prison in Utah. RSO will continue to investigate
these allegations made by Burns.
¶5. (SBU) It appears that all four of these men are connected
by prison system and the state of Utah. Burwig has lived in
Utah and Burns told investigators that he was a cell mate of
Terry Lund and that Lund introduced him to Burwig and Rivera.
Rivera also did time in a Utah prison. RSO is working with
local prosecutors and law enforcement authorities to try and
develop various investigative leads. Local authorities
believe that all three passports were purchased in the San
Pedro Sula area. In examining the national identification
numbers used on the passports, two are fraudulent. The bio
data used on the passports is written in and not
electronically inscribed. Honduran prosecutors have told RSO
that the passports are not maintained properly and that
corruption and fraud is still prevalent within Honduran
immigration, despite the recent shakeup and scandal, that now
has control over the Honduran passport. GOH law enforcement
authorities will continue to investigate.
THE FRENCH CONNECTION
¶6. (SBU) In March 2004, Embassy Drug Enforcement
Administration (DEA) agents, received a lead that two
fugitives from U.S. justice, Teddy Lee French and his son
Christopher French were hiding in Honduras. Both were wanted
in the State of Arkansas for narcotics trafficking, involving
a methamphetamine lab. DEA, in working with Honduran law
enforcement agencies, had Teddy Lee and Christopher French
arrested and then voluntarily returned to the U.S. to face
their outstanding charges. In the course of the investigation
DEA discovered that the entire French family had or were in
the process of obtaining Honduran identity documents to
include a national identity card (cedula) birth certificates,
and passports. During his brief detention and questioning by
GOH law enforcement, Teddy Lee French, claimed that his true
name was Fernando Guardado Guardado born in Omoa Honduras.
Once confronted with the fact that his Honduran documents
were fraudulently obtained and that his wife confirmed this,
Teddy Lee confessed to his true identity and explained how he
was able to obtain said documents.
¶7. (SBU) Teddy Lee French told investigators that a
passport facilitator named Sardy Javier Reyes Rodriguez,
located in Omoa, offered to provide the whole French family
with Honduran identity documents to include passports. French
stated that Rodriguez charged him USD 125,000 for the whole
family. French stated that he traveled to Omoa to obtain a
Honduran birth certificate, and to San Pedro Sula for a
Honduran driver's license, and to be processed for a Honduran
passport. French stated that his wife Karen went through the
same process. Teddy Lee obtained a Honduran passport in the
name of Fernando Guardado Guardado, passport number B046138,
and a cedula number 0503-2004-00116. His wife, Karen French
received a Honduran passport in the name of Ana Maria
Gonzalez Ayala, passport number B046450, and a cedula number
0503-2004-00117. At the time of their detention, Teddy Lee'
son Christopher and his wife Amamda French were also in the
process of obtaining Honduran passports. During the
investigation, Honduran investigators found Honduran
government applications and other documents that pending
their completion, would have given Christopher and Amamda
French new identities. Christopher French would have been
known as Christopher Charles Guardado Gonzalez and Amada
would have been Amanda Maria Gonzalez Ayala. However, the
long arm of the law apprehended them before the process could
be completed.
¶8. (SBU) RSO has provided this information to GOH
prosecutors and investigators. On September 16, GOH
investigators conducted an inspection of the National
Registry for Person office (RNP) in Omoa. (The RNP is where
Honduran nationals obtain their cedulas.) The Honduran
investigators found the application for the Teddy Lee and
Karen French. They also found other irregularities that will
require more investigation. GOH investigators acknowledge
that there is serious problems in the Omoa office. GOH
investigators have indicated to RSO that the whole procedure
for acquiring passports and cedulas is for sale to the
highest bidder. One facet of this investigation that RSO is
most troubled by, is the French family were able to procure
these official documents in less than a month. This is not
an organized narcotics or terrorist group, just a fugitive
family on the run.
EVIL IS AS EVIL DOES
¶9. (SBU) In August 2005, Houston Police officers (HPD)
assigned to gang enforcement arrested a Latino gang member
for having sex with a female minor. Upon further
investigation, HPD officers learned that the person in
custody had a Honduran passport and identity card in his
possession bearing the name of Rudi Renan Amador Martinez,
Honduran passport number B155320. HPD officers discovered
that Martinez was really an El Salvadoran gang member named
Francis Funes. During the initial investigation and in
consultation with DSS Houston agents, and Consular section's
AFU, RSO believes that Funes obtained his Honduran passport
at the Honduran Consulate in Houston. On August 26, the AFU
and Consul General confronted representatives of the MFA and
passport-issuing agency with evidence from their own
databases that showed the system had been corrupted. Post
continues to press for an explanation of this failure. RSO
informed GOH prosecutors. GOH prosecutors expressed concern
that Funes acquired this passport under fraudulent means. GOH
prosecutors stated that the Honduran Consul General in
Houston is not a trustworthy person and that they suspect
that most Honduran consuls posted in the U.S. are susceptible
to bribes and fraud. DSS Houston agents have filed passport
fraud charges against Funes and he is currently incarcerated
in a Houston penal facility for the aforementioned Texas
charges.
CONCERNS FOR US NATIONAL SECURITY
¶10. (SBU) Recently, the Embassy Tegucigalpa in conjunction
with International Narcotics and Law Enforcement affairs
(INL) had spent over USD 400,000 on a machine readable
passport project with the GOH. As the previous cases
illustrate regardless of security of the documents itself,
what is key is the personnel who are responsible for the
accountability of the documents. The persons involved in
these cases are all criminals, though possibly dangerous, not
overly sophisticated or organized. The disturbing part is
that all managed to procure a Honduran passport with relative
ease. One of the individuals, Terry Lund, did not even have
to leave the confines of Utah to do so. GOH law enforcement
officials have expressed legitimate concern that Honduran
identity documents lack any accountability controls to stop
the illegal use by criminals. Despite the current Honduran
immigration scandal, and the intervention that Post hoped
would to stop such action, and constant denials by GOH
cabinet officials, it appears that a Honduran passport is
still easily obtained for the right price. At this time RSO
has no evidence that dangerous, sophisticated, organized
crimes groups, such as Colombian drug cartels, Russian
organized crime for example, or extremist terrorists groups
have obtained, utilized or traveled with Honduran passports.
However, Post fears that, if any of these dangerous
organizations wanted to they could acquire said documents and
there would be no way in deterring or stopping such action.
If this were to happen now or in the future the consequences
for the U.S. could be grave. RSO and the Consular section's
AFU will continue to track all investigative leads. RSO also
requests that all DSS field offices in the U.S. check all
criminal cases to determine if any suspects were carrying,
traveling with or had obtained a Honduran passport. This will
assist RSO in gauging how widespread the problem is.
Williard